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Background Rural populations as well as less educated people in the U.S. are less likely to receive colorectal cancer (CRC) screening than people living in urban areas and more educated people. Methods We tested a computer tablet, Patient/Provider Communication Assistant (PPCA), which collected data, educated patients, and printed personalized notes to patients and providers encouraging conversation about CRC screening. Mixed model analyses using a pre-post quasi-experimental design compared patient results during the comparison and intervention periods in 5 rural primary care practices on provider discussion about CRC screening, provider recommendation, and patient intention to be screened. Models including age, education and literacy measures as covariates were examined. Results Providers talked with patients about CRC screening in general, and colonoscopy specifically more frequently after the PPCA than with the comparison group (p values =.04 and .01, respectively). Providers recommended CRC screening more often to patients in the intervention group than to the comparison group (p=.02). Patients planned to be screened and specifically with colonoscopy more frequently following the intervention than in the comparison group (p=.003). There were no interactions between group and any of the covariates. Ninety-five percent of the patients regardless of age or education found the PPCA easy to use. Conclusion Results indicated increased provider discussion and recommendation, and patients' intentions to obtain CRC screening, and in particular colonoscopy, for patients exposed to the intervention, regardless of the patients' age or literacy levels. The PPCA is a promising intervention method that is acceptable to rural patients.

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Mass media interventions are among the strategies recommended for youth cigarette smoking prevention, but little is known about optimal methods for reaching diverse youth audiences. Grades 4 through 12 samples of youth from four states (n = 1,230) rated smoking-prevention messages in classroom settings. Similar proportions of African American, Hispanic, and White youth participated. Impact of audience characteristics on message appeal ratings was assessed to provide guidance for audience segmentation strategies. Age had a strong effect on individual message appeal. The effect of gender also was significant. Message ratings were similar among the younger racial/ethnic groups, but differences were found for older African American youth. Lower academic achievement was associated with lower appeal scores for some messages. Age should be a primary consideration in developing and delivering smoking-prevention messages to youth audiences. The unique needs of boys and girls and older African American adolescents should also be considered.